Wear behaviour and correlations to the microstructural characteristics of heat treated hot work tool steel

Abstract Anti-wear performance of hot work tool steels is influenced by various parameters during their application lifetime as they are exposed to complex loading including heat, mechanical loading and sliding. Aim of this research work was to correlate different microstructures obtained by various heat treatments with hardness and anti-wear properties of hot work tool steel. For this purpose, modified 1.2367 hot work tool steel was used in this investigation. Two different austenitizing temperatures (1030 °C and 1150 °C) were used. Martensitic matrix was obtained after quenching, with two different austenitizing temperatures showing considerable difference in volume fraction of undissolved carbides (carbo-nitrides), being mainly vanadium rich MC type. Wear performance, which was influenced by austenitizing and tempering temperature, was evaluated by reciprocating sliding wear tests carried out at room temperature and pin-on-disc contact configuration. To simulate adhesive and abrasive wear component, 100Cr6 and Al 2 O 3 balls were used as counter-body material, respectively. Lower wear rate at similar hardness over 50 HRc was observed comparing 100Cr6 counter-body results in favour to 1150 °C austenitized specimens where adhesive and abrasive wear components took place. Higher or comparable wear rate was obtained in the case of ceramic counter body where abrasive wear was prevailing.